Dual action airbrush and tank compressor suggestions?

[Lemosteam]

If you are airbrushing stinky paints (not water-based acrylics), then cleaning is a breeze.  Really! Remember the cleaning method I use I described in the post I liked to in my earlier post here.  It really doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Really!

It's more of an "I'm finally done, but now I have to clean the @)@*^*($_(^ing thing!"

[peteski]

It's more of an "I'm finally done, but now I have to clean the @)@*^*($_(^ing thing!"

Um, but it is is more like washing your hands after handling lead than "gosh, I now have to do a lengthy and painful  cleaning of this fu**ing airbrush".  I guess I just don't understand why some people consider it a dreaded chore.

I guess I look at things differently.  When I'm done airbrushing i don't think that "I'm finally done airbrushing, and here comes the dreaded cleaning.   With me it is "I finished airbrushing, and the model looks awesome - now I just have to spend another minute cleaning the airbrush before putting it away".  Be more positive man!   

[Lemosteam]

Um, but it is is more like washing your hands after handling lead than "gosh, I now have to do a lengthy and painful  cleaning of this fu**ing airbrush".  I guess I just don't understand why some people consider it a dreaded chore.

I guess I look at things differently.  When I'm done airbrushing i don't think that "I'm finally done airbrushing, and here comes the dreaded cleaning.   With me it is "I finished airbrushing, and the model looks awesome - now I just have to spend another minute cleaning the airbrush before putting it away".  Be more positive man!   

Yeah, lol, I usually don't achieve this part "and the model looks awesome",.   

[Chris333]

Most of the time I just spray solvent though it and only clean a few times a year.

Air brush is hanging right now with ink/alcohol in it. Been in there a while, still sprays 

[nuno81291]

Color me dense Pete but I don’t see a link to a cleaning post from you?

As far as having to clean after painting; if it means I can blame problems more on operator error than say a clogged spray bomb valve then I am happy. Nothing as infuriating as brand new, well shaken and stored spray bombs that sputter or are unusable. Speaking of spraying stinky paints; what sort of thinner would you recommend with say decanted rustoleum 2x paints? I also use their camo line quite a bit. Would like to go through some of these before I order any fancy Vallejo or tamiya paints.

[Point353]

Color me dense Pete but I don’t see a link to a cleaning post from you?

It's in his reply #6 - third paragraph, last sentence.

[nuno81291]

Thanks, viewing TRW on a phone I could not see the underlined link. 

[DKS]

Um, but it is is more like washing your hands after handling lead...

Never bothered to do that. (Hmmm... might explain some things...)

Yeah, lol, I usually don't achieve this part "and the model looks awesome",.   

This.

I see everybody mentioning brands other than Badger.  What's wrong with Badger airbrushes, or what makes the other brands that much better?

Never had good luck with Badgers. They seemed way too fussy, and never produced consistent (or sometimes any) results. I own an Iwata, FWIW.

 

[Lemosteam]

Never bothered to do that. (Hmmm... might explain some things...)

This.

U Dissin' me DKS?   

[peteski]

Color me dense Pete but I don’t see a link to a cleaning post from you?

As far as having to clean after painting; if it means I can blame problems more on operator error than say a clogged spray bomb valve then I am happy. Nothing as infuriating as brand new, well shaken and stored spray bombs that sputter or are unusable. Speaking of spraying stinky paints; what sort of thinner would you recommend with say decanted rustoleum 2x paints? I also use their camo line quite a bit. Would like to go through some of these before I order any fancy Vallejo or tamiya paints.

I edited my post to make the link more obvious (but uglier looking).  I learned (from DKS' posts) how to "beautify" links by blending them into the text of my post, but it looks like that is not a good idea when more and more people are using their smart phones (with tiny screens and microscopic text) to read the forum.

Thinners for organic-solvent (stinky) paints?  For decanted paints standard lacquer thinner should work well. But not all hardware-store lacquer thinners are created equal. The ingredients might vary between different brands.  While most lacquer thinners are "hot" enough to affect polystyrene of ABS if applied directly to the plastic, if mixed with paint and airbrushed in light coats, they are usually safe.  Once the plastic is coated with couple of thin paint coats, a heavire coat will also be safe to apply.  Personally I have been using SCL brand of thinner. Hardware stores used to carry tha brand, but now I have to get is special ordered (at a Try Value hardware store). But a gallon lasts me a long time.  Also, keep in mind that sometimes even the same brand of thinner changes their formula, but in today's environmentally-friendly world that usually means that  the new formula is less "hot".

Never bothered to do that (wash hands after handlign lead). (Hmmm... might explain some things...)

LOL. That was just a silly example.  What I was trying to say is that airbrush cleaning (not a full reconditioning) should just be a part of the routine, not a dreaded chore.  When we use paint brushes, we clean them after use. We usually don't dread doing that. It is the same with an airbrush - cleaning it is simply the last step in the airbrushing process.

Yeah, lol, I usually don't achieve this part "and the model looks awesome",.   

This.

Oh, alright - I don't say that after every paintbrush job either - again just trying to put a positive spin on the entire airbrushing experience.  After all, this is a hobby which we (I hope) do for fun, and to relax.    I'll say it again: cleaning the airbrush between colors and even between projects should not be a dreaded chore.  The benefits airbrush provides over spray paints should outweigh the need to do a quick "rinse" after use.

Never had good luck with Badgers. They seemed way too fussy, and never produced consistent (or sometimes any) results. I own an Iwata, FWIW.

Fussy?  Interesting.   I don't find my model 200 fussy at all.  But it is a simple single action airbrush I use as a spray-gun. I did buy a dual action Badger at a Michael's sale few years ago, but since I don't weather, I haven't even tried it yet.  I have used dual-action Badgers at friend's workshops and I didn't find those fussy either. But again, it was while using them as spray-guns, not for weathering which requires precision control of the spray pattern.

Also, from what I see, it seems to me that all the different brands of metal airbrushes have very similar construction, so I'm not sure why one is better than other.  "Fussy" seems bit nebulous.

[DKS]

U Dissin' me DKS?   

Oh, dear. Should have said, "Me, too!"

[DKS]

I'll say it again: cleaning the airbrush between colors and even between projects should not be a dreaded chore.  The benefits airbrush provides over spray paints should outweigh the need to do a quick "rinse" after use.

Well, it's kinda like doing laundry. I like wearing clothes, but...

[chicken45]

Well, it's kinda like doing laundry. I like wearing clothes, but...

"...but I'd rather walk around naked."

And speaking of which, I agree with the Pole.
Acrylics dry fast and gunk up my scene. Stinky paint doesn't dry as fast and cleaning is easier because of it!



I realize "Polak" is likely the correct term, but I wasn't gonna let that get in the way of a joke.

[Santa Fe Guy]

I spray acrylics almost all the time nowadays as solvent paints are nasty. I have a 4 litre plastic bucket half full of clean water beside me when spraying and as soon as I am finished I empty any paint I want to save and then chuck the airbrush in the water and just keep pulling the trigger until it flows clean. I then spray Iso through it wipe out the cup and the job is done.

[chicken45]

I spray acrylics almost all the time nowadays as solvent paints are nasty. I have a 4 litre plastic bucket half full of clean water beside me when spraying and as soon as I am finished I empty any paint I want to save and then chuck the airbrush in the water and just keep pulling the trigger until it flows clean. I then spray Iso through it wipe out the cup and the job is done.

Most of my painting is indeed with acrylics, but I nearly always, run into the problem with them drying out the brush. It's always inconvenient when it happens. I'll paint a shell, put it down for a minute. Then go back a few minutes later and my output is decreased because something is drying actively somewhere.  The answer is to modify my technique to work in smaller batches, but that's the fundamental difference between the different paints.